Holistic vs Western Medicine
If you could choose a free long-term solution with zero side effects, over a costly potentially dangerous short-term fix, would you?
Table of Contents
- Increased Self-Awareness
- Reduced Stress
- Reduced Anxiety
- Lengthened Attention Span
- Better, more restorative sleep
- Improved focus
- Decreased chronic pain
- Growing Telomere
- Fight Addiction
- Decreased Blood Pressure
In the US there seems to be a medication available to fix every ailment we experience, but is this really necessary and are the side-effects worth the potential upside? In many cases medication is simply a band aid when we really need to treat the cause of our problems, not just the symptoms.
Mental health is something that is so easily overlooked when addressing the physical problems we may be having. In reality our bodies and minds are connected and affect one another. Meditation is a great way to increase your mental and physical health without all the side effects.
1. Increased self-awareness
Meditation helps us to feel more connected to our bodies. As this connection builds over time we can start to pick up on imbalances before they lead to bigger problems.
2. Reduced stress
Stress leads to a lot of physical issues and learning how to better manage it and be in better touch with your body can have a huge impact on our overall health. Meditation helps lower stress levels by helping control your thought pattern and slowing your heart rate.
3. Reduced anxiety
Meditation has also been linked to management of anxiety and depression in patients. It is thought that the increased self-awareness helps to build better pathways in the brain and allows us to be more in control of our thoughts.
4. Lengthened attention span
It also helps with lengthening our attention span. By focusing on meditation or mindfulness our ability to maintain attention increases. This carries over into other aspects of our lives and helps us be less likely to get burnt out.
5. Better, more restorative sleep
Learning to control your mind can help when you get ready for bed too. Learning how to calm your thoughts during meditation can also be used when trying to fall asleep and your mind starts racing.
6. Improved focus
Mediation is a great way to help improve our focus. We are constantly being pulled in so many directions with distractions around us all the time. Learning how to tune those out and focus on breathing will play out in our daily lives allowing us to be more present at work and with family.
7. Decreased chronic pain
Pain is processed in the brain so it only makes sense that by increasing the connection between your body and mind you can help ease pain symptoms. It is not known exactly how this works, but in people with chronic pain meditation was shown to help alleviate some of their symptoms.
8. Growing Telomere
Telomere are found on our chromosomes and as we age they get shorter and eventually wear away. In people who meditate this wear slows down reducing the effects of aging on the mind and body.
9. Fight Addiction
Meditation alters the brain receptors associated with addiction. This can help reduce cravings experienced during addiction. It also helps with awareness and control which in combination with reduced cravings can help people to gain control of their addiction.
10. Decreased Blood Pressure
Studies have shown that meditation can help lower blood pressure by easing stress and reconnecting the body. When you focus and slow your breath your heartbeat will start to regulate and slow as well. Signaling to your body that it isn’t in a flight or fight situation and to lower its blood pressure.
Meditation can’t fix all of our problems, but it is a big part of living a healthy life and can lead to needing less medication down the line. With all the benefits that it provides you may even be able to cut some medications out of your life now and be rid of the side effects those medications cause.
*Affiliate links may be included – if you click on affiliate links and sign up for the products and services trusted and recommended by Huddle Box, we will earn a commission.
